visual team check list - Sweet Adelines International

"How to Create Showmanship and Choreography
to Support the Musical Plan"
1. Always stay in style of the character and era.
2. Emphasize character or emotional changes by using vocal textures, characterizations, and
highlighting words that "feeL" A word that feels is a word where both the audience and performer
are clear on the feeling or emotion that word creates. Such as...love, never, or pop!
3. Emphasize soft dynamics by creating movement that is smaller, lower, and closer to the
center of the chorus or quartet.
4. Emphasize loud dynamics by creating movement that is bigger, taller, and wider. Angles to the
Big X or Down the Tiles also create a larger look and sound.
5. Emphasize progressive dynamics by using peel-offs across the chorus or up by rows.
6. Emphasize dramatically different dynamics by using dramatically different movement.
7. Support and lift the ends of phrases by using continual lifted movement.
8. Rhythm patterns are emphasized by...
• Strong beat-movement starting on and emphasizing the strong beat.
• Back beat-movement starting on and emphasizing the back beat.
• Accelerando-gradual progressive movement.
• Patter-showmanship only or each rhythm having their own relative movement.
• Ad-lib style-unplanned moves based on the character, drama, and lyrical line.
• Quick tempo-snaps.
• Swing tempo-sways.
• Staccato-crisp percussive movement.
9. Emphasize smooth musical lines by creating sweeps.
10. Use the breath space, rests, and dramatic pauses not only to forward the motion, but to
forward the "el/motion. Define and perform the emotion of the next thought on the breath
before it begins.
11. Use the pitch to set the tone for the song, and use the acknowledgements to complete it.
12. Create energy and passion into all aspects of the choreography/showmanship plan.
Handout: Creating a Visual Plan / Script: Lynne Smith, International Faculty